Split Pea & Green Pea Orzo Salad - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup split peas
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 (10 ounce) package frozen tiny peas
4 ounces orzo pasta (about 10 tablespoons)
1/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup of fresh mint, chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely shredded
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
24 butter lettuce leaves, rinsed and crisped
mint sprig
fresh thyme sprig
salt and pepper

Preparation

Sort through split peas, discarding any debris; then rinse and drain peas. In a 2-quart saucepan, bring broth to a boil over high heat. Add split peas and dried thyme. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until split peas are tender to bite (about 25 minutes); drain and discard cooking liquid. Transfer the split peas to a large bowl, add frozen peas, and mix gently but thoroughly. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until mixture is cool. (about 3 minutes).
Meanwhile, in a 4-5 quart saucepan, bring about 8 cups water to a boil over medium-high heat; stir in pasta and cook until just tender to bite, about 5 minutes (or cook according to package instructions). Drain, and rinse with cold water, and drain well again. Transfer pasta to bowl with peas. Add onions and chopped mint; mix gently. In a small bowl, beat oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice until blended. Add to pea mixture; mix gently but thoroughly.
To serve, line 4 individual plates with lettuce leaves; top each plate equally with pea mixture. Garnish salads with mint and thyme sprigs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.